129. Now, it was said above, 'Whatever has the characteristic of perceiving should be understood, all taken together, as the perception aggregate' (Â§81). And here too, what is said to have the characteristic of perceiving is perception itself, according as it is said, 'It perceives, friend, that is why it is called perception' (M I 293).

But though it is singlefold according to its individual essence as the characteristic of perceiving, it is nevertheless threefold as to kind, that is to say, profitable, unprofitable, and indeterminate. Herein, that associated with profitable consciousness is profitable, that associated with unprofitable consciousness is unprofitable, that associated with indeterminate consciousness is indeterminate. Since there is no consciousness dissociated from perception, perception therefore has the same number of divisions as consciousness [that is to say, eighty-nine].

130. But though classed in the same way as consciousness, nevertheless, as to characteristic, etc., it all has just the characteristic of perceiving. Its function is to make a sign as a condition for perceiving again that this is the same, as carpenters, etc., do in the case of timber, and so on. It is manifested as the action of interpreting by means of the sign as apprehended, like the blind who see an elephant (Ud 68"69). Its proximate cause is an objective field in whatever way that appears, like the perception that arises in fawns that see scarecrows as men.

This is the section of the detailed explanation dealing with the perception aggregate.

131. Now, it was said above, Whatever has the characteristic of forming should be understood, all taken together, as the formations aggregate (Â§81). And here too, what is said to have the characteristic of forming is that which has the characteristic of agglomerating. What is that? It is formations themselves, according as it is said,They form the formed, bhikkhus, that is why they are called formations (S III 87).

132. They have the characteristic of forming. Their function is to accumulate. They are manifested as intervening. Their proximate cause is the remaining three [immaterial] aggregates. So according to characteristic, etc., they are singlefold. And according to kind they are threefold, namely, (I) profitable, (II) unprofitable, and (III) indeterminate. As regards these, when associated with profitable consciousness they are profitable, when associated with unprofitable consciousness they are unprofitable, when associated with indeterminate consciousness they are indeterminate.